The wind and sun now leave our weary host, Till from the scorching heat the stars retire. Half-burned with lightning, by this weight is pressed; And clouds of smoke the concave zenith hide. At length, the dawn its first appearance made, By the great Gods who hold ethereal sway; Gives the young man his hand with language kind, The cruel threshold trembling while they leave, Forsook me in the Cyclop's dismal cave. His house, though vast, was dark and flowed with gore, If this sad fate cannot your wrath appease, Scarce had he spoke when on the mountain height, A pine-tree trunk supports his pond'rous hand, With one to whom just sympathy was due; The dangerous course we must by no means hold. An island stretches through Sicania's gulph, But scarce my way thro' shoals and rocks can find. Sad to relate! my honored sire I lost, This my last sorrow, here my wand'rings o'er, Scenes Beyond the Western Border. WRITTEN ON THE PRAIRIE. BY A CAPTAIN OF U. S. DRAGOONS. (Continued from March No., 1853.) July 25th.-For about three miles we passed an open pine forest on the top of the highlands between the Platte and Arkansas; and seven miles from camp we drank at a small stream flowing to the latter. When we emerged from the woods, a very extensive view opened to the east and south; no more forest was to be seen; but the prairies had a shade of decided green, which was a pleasing novelty; but this great slope has a southern exposure, and is high enough to share the mountain showers. Be this as it may, it is the most promising country we have seen since we first came to the Platte near its mouth. We passed about noon nearest to Pike mountain, 10 or 15 miles off; it was enveloped in cloud nearly the whole day, which fortunately has been showery and cool, for we had no water for 24 miles, and 9 hours. We have been all day on the verges of these perennial showers, which the cold, cloud, attracting and condensing mountain tops send forth from their basis as ceaseless streams through the far plains. Thus nature, as with a low pressure engine, carries on its vast schemes; the surplus steam from the hot valleys giving motion to its rivers. Once we saw it snowing on the lofty mountain, which, far as it was, seemed almost above us. Our camp is on the stream of the "Fontain qui bouille." We should have much liked to visit the spring, which was but 15 miles from our course; but "march! march!" and thirty-one miles we have marched today. The stream is fringed with groves; and the horses fare well upon luxuriant rushes and blue grass. July 26th.-We followed the Fontain qui bouille 17 miles, and there left it for a more direct course, over the hills, to the Arkansas. We found it a weary 16 miles, without water; broken and barren, and not at all green was all the prospect there; Cactus and Spanish bayonet had claimed it as their own; but there was animal life; creatures which must prospect of war with Mexico, and even with be assimilated to these desolation-loving England; (that was all settled in the .; vegetables; there were very extensive vil- that type of iniquity and folly, and not lages of those queer "prairie dogs," and therefore, of course, a true exponent of govthey seemed to have formed an unusual as- ernment affairs.) But we consider a war sociation; and with little nearer approach to with Mexico so inevitable, that our distant the most accepted standards of taste, than march at this time has been much criticised their well known one with rattle snakes and in camp; and we have some idea of meetburrowing owls; it was now ants, and their ing orders, to keep our course south to Sanwere were thousands of their hills,-some ta Fe. two feet in height. Sixty-four miles in two days! Wonder But the most singular thing were hun- ful in the last quarter of 2400 miles, on poor dreds of smooth, regularly conical mounds, grass. Dragoons-with carbine, sabre, pisvarying in height from five to twenty feet. tols, cartridges, two blankets, a great coat, There was no appearance of rock. They picket rope and iron pin, &c. But it must stand near the foot of the hills on the allu- break down any thing but a cast iron horse; vial plain. We had no time for any satisfac- above twenty miles incessantly for a huntory examination. dred days! July 27th.-We have had the pleasure of marching to-day 22 miles over a baked white clay surface, accompanied under the broiling sun by a breeze which very gently en The morning was distressingly warm; but! There is no game. We have not seen a as usual, the thunder clouds gathered to the herd of buffaloes for sixteen days, and shall mountains:—Pike's peak, behind us, and a not probably for five days to come: and yet range to our right beyond the Arkansas; and this has been considered the buffalo country. as usual, they set forth, as if for battle, these And the Indian country too!-and where cloudy squadrons, thundering over the plains are they? The very road we have followed between. O, beautiful were they in con- answers: it connects a chain of trading stant motion, with ever varying combina- posts, where whiskey and gunpowder are tions, as if in glorious sport! But at times bartered for robes and tongues; it destroys they seemed to unite, and threaten us with soul and body,-man and beast together: fire and blood; then from the dark array verily the golden calf of civilization has would issue thunderbolts and fiery gleams, been raised far in the wilderness! but our silent ranks moved steadily on, then, suddenly the sun would brightly interpose; the baffled clouds would break off muttering with pelting discharges upon all around. Across the river,-but we cannot see it veloped us, as in a secondary atmospherefor trees and bushes, is Mexico, or Texas with dust which gave to all a semblance, not perhaps and sixty miles within the dispu- strictly defined, whether of millers or hodted ground are the Spanish peaks which we men. This charming promenade was adornhave seen. It seems strange that Spain ed solely by a dry and repulsive sort of bush, should have left memorials, so far inland;- which served to remind us that any comforso far north. How rapidly did she degene- table vegetation could by no possibility there rate! So must think at least all believers in militia, and call hers cowardly; for they ran We crossed early a nameless stream, supaway from every battle which they should posed to be generally dry-which was absohave fought, and in defence of their native lutely a torrent of mud, twenty paces wide, land, except for harrassing escorts, the Duke and near three feet deep; it was almost danof Wellington accounted them as so many sheep. I attribute all that to want of capable officers and discipline. exist. gerous to ford. The river some miles lower was almost as muddy. Here, it is unusually clear: the current is very great, frequentAnd what news are we to hear when we ly over stones and gravel: its immediate reach the States?" (when we complete valley is generally several miles wide: the this march, which will be unparalleled in bluffs with little grass have frequently abhistory.) When we left, there was every rupt geometrical shapes. VOL. XIX-58 two lower down. A number of officers par Again we have thunder storms around us, but escape with a sprinkle. It is said to be took of a good dinner at the Fort. 40 miles to Bent's Fort. Our provisions are Amongst a few luxuries which we here nearly gone. attain, are several newspapers, of later date July 28th.-After coming an hour or two by some weeks than we have seen. The this morning due east, as yesterday-and commissary reports the provisions in perfect over the same white clay, facing a blistering preservation-especially the hard bread; 'tis sun, suddenly a charming north wind came a pity there is no flour. We arrived with breathing a new life into us, and driving off rations for a single day. our dusty infliction. The valley is here very This afternoon a party of a dozen Mexiwide, the river clear and very swift, it is about cans passed our camp, being questioned, three hundred feet wide, and deeper than it and allowed to proceed; they have a trading is far below. It is too, continuously adorned venture, for the Chians. The majority of by groves on the banks and islands. The the hands at the fort are Mexicans; and the soil is still very poor,-of sand and gravel, Spanish the prevailing language; but with but we crossed one fine meadow of 6 or 700 English, French and Indian additions and acres. The river once forced us for several combinations, there is no slight confusion of miles to pass over the hills; but nothing like tongues. mountains were visible on either side. We have been visited too by a kind of A singular animal has been caught here; double animal, not exactly a centaur, but a in fact, it made no effort to escape. A natu- form of Mexican humanity, appearing to ralist, who joined us at Fort Laramie, pro- grow from the caudal extremity of a donnounces it a golden rat; but it seems un- key; furnishing the concern however with known to the dwellers of this wilderness. an extra pair of legs. The head wore a Having marched 21 miles, we encamped rather early, at 24 o'clock. Now, at 6,-a dark thunder storm is bursting over us. Be white cotton cap, and one arm flourished a stick or wand, which seemed a cause of dread and perplexity to the foreparts, which July 29th.-A pleasant day, with a cool were without appendage or ornament. breeze, which made all comfortable. As we tween was a bag of wheat of Taos. passed on this morning, we saw a half mile There has been quite a lively exchange of to our right, near the river bank, a small broken down horses for ponies and mules; party with a wagon, moving westward:- and very much, "unsight, unseen," a horse whereupon it was visited, some barrels of was a horse, if he could stand up; a pony alcohol destroyed-men and wagon seized was only expected to go. Two young anteand brought with us. lopes were presented to an officer, who then Over a smooth, gravelly, second bank purchased a mule and cart for their conveyprairie, we caught sight, at several miles ance. distance, of the national flag, floating amid Here we lose sight of Pike mountain, afpicturesque foliage and river scenery, over ter journeying rapidly in view for nine days. a low dark wall, which had a very military It is said to be visible from some river bluff, semblance. Very gradually and tediously 80 or 90 miles further on. We have found we approached; and then were we more it about 400 miles from Fort Laramie, and surprised at the fine appearance and strength the route we have followed is the best natuof the trading fort. An extensive square, ral road we have yet seen. There is nothwith high adobe walls, and two large towers ing to prevent a light carriage from passing at opposite angles; and all properly loop- it, twelve miles to the hour; and this so holed. Our near approach was saluted by near the mountains, and in view of perpetual three discharges from a swivel gun; the snow! walls being well "manned." The Colonel August 3d, 1845.-Our march was conand suite were most hospitally greeted at tinued from Bent's Fort, July 30th :-followthe sally port, by Messrs St. Vrain and C. Brent. The regiment marched on, and encamped at the first grassy meadow, a mile or ing the river eastward with our wonted pertinacity of progression. August 1st, we passed by what is called the Big Timbers. It is a narrow forest on islands and low bottoms, | pleasing the eye, whilst a certain wildness extending 15 or 20 miles: it is known and in their appearance excites the imagination. important as a wintering place and refuge Indeed, I know them as the refuge and amfrom storms. Here, beside fuel, those who bush of beasts of prey, and of wilder and can have no better, find shelter from the fiercer men. wintry winds which sweep with a furious A few hundred paces below this camp is swing over these vast plains, which them- the frame-work remains of an Indian "medselves shrink beneath the dismal protection icine lodge," looking like a dismantled cirof an unbroken sheet of snow. As my once cus. We found in it four buffalo skulls, anticipated wintry refuge, it possessed for me with the eye-holes stopped with dry grass ; an unusual interest. tied overhead were a bundle of rods, a bow, That day too we encountered a large par- pipe and stem, and some wild pumpkins. ty of New Mexico Indians, the Apaches,-" Medicine man" is the literal meaning with some Kiawas in company. They were of the Indian designation of the indivilarge, handsome men, of a frank and plea- dual who always unites the professions of sant bearing. The faces of some of them physician and priest; he deals in vegetable resembled rather the Caucasian than the In- medicines, in relics, charms and incantadian cast. Their hair was long, occasionally tions. On solemn occasions many supersticlubbed behind, in our delectable female tious ceremonies are performed, and mystefashion. All were mounted, and their equip- ries which at least remind us of those of anage had the profuse silver and steel adorn- cient Greece and Rome. Sometimes superments, of which many a rich Mexican would stition becomes so extravagant that many gladly have confessed to more than the style. horrors of physical suffering are eagerly They embrace in the graceful and pleasant submitted to. I will mention a single one, Spanish and Mexican manner, but they fail- repeatedly witnessed by a friend: the fanaed not to reveal eloquently the true Indian tic, having a sufficient band of skin divided trait of "mucho ambre." In what tongue from the back, and a rope tied to it, drags unknown did ever Indian conceal his remark- thereby a buffalo skull until from natural deable hunger! cay the rope tears loose! They had with them a Mexican youth, The braves, the aspirants to renown, bewho had probably been captured many years fore undertaking some martial exploit, each before: a very slender, singular being-with imposes on himself the most extraordinary yellowish hair, pendent from the temples fasts and vigils; sometimes on a rock or like two long queues. He spoke Spanish lofty hill, in unchanged posture-like the but poorly, as did our interpreter-and we brahmin-for days together chanting songs thought we made out two propositions, (and or hymns; their natures thus etherealized but one inference,) viz: that he liked the by fasting,-their imaginations unnaturally Indians, and that the Mexicans were afraid excited,-witnessing in their solitudes the of them. solemn or sublime natural phenomena, these These fellows gave us to understand that poor savages then reach a spiritual exaltathey had been on an expedition against the tion or ecstasy, in which the Great Spirit Pawnees; and this indicated some contempt favors them, they assert, with direct com-possibly ignorance-of the small matter munications,-of approval,-of promise or of boundaries; but no doubt, it was in retal- of warning. iation, for the hand of the Pawnees is raised against all men. A few miles lower is Chouteau's Island, an old crossing of the Santa Fe road; and This day we first came in sight of the known also as the scene of several Indian drifting white sand-hills, which border the engagements, first with traders, afterward southern side of the river for one or two with our troops; (and on this day sixteen hundred miles, of fantastic changing shapes, years ago.) often dazzling white, and supporting a few August 4th.-We marched at half-past 6 stunted cedars and plum bushes: their air of o'clock. That means that two hours earlier desolation does not at all prevent them from a trumpet had called us all from sleep to |